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| ← Ch.07 | Ch.09 → |
Chapter 1 - Weak Square/Setting the Board
Part 1
The country of Imanity-- Kingdom of Elchea. Capital of Elchea, Eastern
Region District 6.
In the hall of a gorgeously luxurious mansion were five people seated around a table, and a number of others looking on.
Of those at the table, one's black hair was in a mess and there were dark marks under his eyes.
He was a young man wearing an'I ♥ Humans' T-s. h. i. +rt and jeans, as well as sneakers.
Another was seated on his lap-- one with long hair white as snow.
She was a young girl whose upturned eyes were as bright as rubies, wearing a black sailor uniform.
The young man wore the girl's tiara around his arm like an armband.
The girl, in turn, was using his crown as a barrette to keep her bangs in place.
These siblings were the King and Queen of Elchea, the final country of
'Imanity'.
The brother—Sora. 18 years old. Virgin. Unpopular. Hikikomori. NEET.
Game addict.
The sister—s. h. i. +ro. 11 years old. No friends. Anthropophobia. Hikikomori.
Game addict.
............ GG
[3]
, humanity.
[End]
Is what anybody would think, if they only read this far.
However, these two are-- not from this world.
In the previous world, they had set undefeated records in the rankings of over
280 games.
At the top of the rankings of any game you cared to check would be a spotless, blank s. p. a. ce.
Just who was behind it was never identified, and that gamer had become an urban legend.
They were known only as-- 『 』.
This world was 'Disboard', where all wars had ceased as decreed by the
[Ten Oaths].
In this world everything up to and including country borders were decided by games. By using magic which humans were neither able to use or detect, the other races cheated in their games and backed the sixteenth race 'Imanity' into a corner.
Even that final city had almost become a puppet government via an agent of the elves. However, these two superficially possessed neither special powers or magic ability.
With only their strength as humans, bearing the t. i. tle of humanity's strongest both in name and reality, these two were seated on the throne.
They were certainly, unmistakably, hopeless.
They were certainly, visibly, socially incompetent.
In [this world], however, these siblings were— the saviors of Imanity.
These siblings held the hope of Imanity in their hands-- as the brother Sora, playing cards at the ready, spoke!!
"Hey, Steph. Where do babies come from?"
............ Maybe GG is still a viable conclusion.
One of the figures standing near the two responded with a cold stare.
"...... That's really not something I want to have to say to the ones responsible for the future of Imanity......"
She had red hair and blue eyes, and was wearing a frilly dress suitable for a fantasy setting.
With fine clothing, style sense, and bearing, she was a girl in her late teens.
--Stephanie Dora. Steph, for short.
The granddaughter of the late king of Elchea, descended from a venerable line, replied.
"—Have you finally cracked?"
Correcting herself, she rectified that statement.
"Rather, that would imply you've been acting normal until now."
"Hey, I'm being perfectly normal!"
"Asking something like that so normally is what's not normal!"
"Arrrgh, you're so dense! What I mean is, in this world there are the [Ten
Oaths], right!"
The [Ten Oaths].
A set of absolute laws for this world laid down by the sole G. o. d, Tet.
It was a compact which forbade all warfare between the intelligent races of the 'Exceed'— namely.
【1】 All bloodshed, war, and pillage is forbidden throughout the world.
【2】 All disputes are to be resolved through the outcome of games.
【3】 In games, wagers will be made on what both parties decide to be of equal value.
【4】 Unless contrary to "Three", the game content and the things wagered do not matter.
【5】 The challenged party has the right to decide the contents of the game.
【6】 "As per the Oath", the wager will be unconditionally adhered to.
【7】 All matters for group conflicts will be decided by a representative.
【8】 If cheating is detected during a game, it will be regarded as a defeat.
【9】 The above rules are unconditionally everlasting, upheld in the name of
G. o. d.
【10】Everyone should get along while playing games.
"...... What about them?"
"I mean, bloodshed is forbidden, isn't it. So how do you 'make children'?"
"...... May I ask why you're asking that now?"
"I'm bored and it's something that just popped up. But isn't this a huge problem?"
Aware of the surrounding eyes on her, Steph leaned in to whisper in Sora's ear.
"...... In [your world], are humans born from eggs?"
The fact that Sora and s. h. i. +ro had come from a 'different world' was a secret.
...... which made having such a conversation right in front of a crowd of servants such a great idea.
That was why the eternally dumbfounded Steph spoke with such a frosty gaze.
"--H-hey! Don't look down on me just because I'm a virgin!! I know perfectly well that when a boy's pocket monster goes in and out of a girl's secret garden, the world will turn!!"
"...... Nii, that way ofspeaking...... sounds far too much...... like a virgin.... ."
"If a virgin doesn't sound like a virgin, what the heck should I sound like!?"
His 11 year old sister who was sitting on his lap reminded the king of his extreme unpopularity and that the years he'd been without a girlfriend equaled his age.
"A-anyway, doing that stuff will be inflicting an injury, right? Or at least the first time will!! So with the [Ten Oaths], how does humanity in this world breed!?"
It seemed like Steph finally understood that he was being serious. But then immediately--
"...... Just let me double check, this isn't some farce to publicly shame me, right?"
"—Seriously, thinking ofsomething like that, what's up with you?"
An eroge thought in a world without eroge.
The power of his imagination was almost admirable.
"Never mind, I'll ask someone else later, you useless woman."
"Wha— f, fine, I get it. I'll explain!"
Cough cough, Steph cleared her throat.
"What const. i. tutes as an infringing act is extremely obvious."
"Ohh. How so?"
"It's simple. Behavior with'malicious intent' which goes against the Oaths-- will be cancelled."
...... --huh?
"Eh, so like, real-time censors. h. i. +p of the brain?"
"Yes, I guess?"
This may be a fantasy world, but isn't that going way too far.
"That was why after the [Ten Oaths] were put in place, most laws became mere window dressing. Everything that we can think of or do must either abide by the Oaths, result from mutual consent, or simply be an accident."
"Haah...... the G. o. d of this place just does what he wants."
"He's the only G. o. d, of course he can do what he wants."
--Authority sufficient enough to even remake the laws of the world on a whim.
And by now— with that, everything in this world was decided by games.
"Hm...... I get it. So let me ask again, why is making babies ok?"
The one who answered however was not Steph, but s. h. i. +ro who was cutting the cards on his lap.
"...... If mutual consent is...... 'conveyed'...... in other, words......"
"Ah, so if it's an act both parties agree on it won't count as an
'infringement'?"
The kicks s. h. i. +ro had previously dealt him stillfresh in his mind, Sora finally understood.
If it was s. h. i. +ro, he would agree with anything she did even if it was only a subconscious agreement. No wonder.
As s. h. i. +ro continued to cut the cards, Sora yawned and spoke.
"Well, I guess that makes sense. If all bloodshed was totally forbidden, there wouldn't be any doctors or the like either."
As he thought once again that the Oaths were at least well designed, Steph spoke to Sora.
"So rather than saying that the world functions well, it's more like the rules are simply extremely well enforced."
"The world'back where we were from' wasn't like that~......"
...... Surprisingly, a world without rules can still work.
Even if it's flawed and inconsistent.
That was probably how this world worked too before the [Ten Oaths].
"...... Still, in that case, I have another question."
"What is it?"
"Why was I able to grope your boo— never mind, that's all."
If you say just one more word here... Steph's razor sharp glare that conveyed this meaning shut Sora right up.
"Well, that was a very interesting talk. It was a good time killer."
"Did you just say that all this was a waste of time!?"
This was from the other three people seated at the table, opposite a sleepy looking Sora.
They were n. o. bles, stripped to their underwear— three portly old men.
Looking on with pity were countless spectators.
--He had almost forgotten that he was in the middle of a game.
Sora and s. h. i. +ro, along with these three great lords.
They were playing a game of poker with'everything they owned' on the line.
"...... I really, really don't want to have to see you guys naked or something...... won't you just give up?"
The three [former n. o. bles] had just now forfeited their entire estates to Sora and s. h. i. +ro.
Everything they owned, literally. Not just sundry things such as land, a. s. sets and rights, but even including possessions such as their wives and children.
They had lost all of that in just two hours, and now were left in nothing but their underwear.
"Don't, don't be ridiculous— if we do that we'll have nothing left!"
"How could we accept such tyranny!"
"If we don't turn things around we won't even have any clothes! Don't screw with us!"
Paying them no mind, Sora yawned as he spoke.
"...... You're the ones who started this game, and no one had intended for things to come this far. You were the ones who ended up throwing things like your family and clothes into the mix...... and everything else."
The still arguing n. o. bles— rather, ex-n. o. bles, shut up at Sora's gaze.
"I even let slide your combined efforts at cheating. Be grateful."
"...... Full, house...... the.... . end......"
s. h. i. +ro laid down her hand.
The sign that the last bastion of the n. o. bles— their underwear had been forfeit.
--Thus.
The three n. o. bles, leaders of the opposition to the wealth of reforms being put in place, were reduced to utter poverty.
Along with them, the movement that they had headed fell to nothing.
Part 2
Capital of Elchea, central avenue.
It connected the North, South, East and West parts of the city as well as the main road which lead to the palace, making it the busiest area of Elchea.
Having taken even the underwear of the n. o. bles who had been opposing their agriculturalreforms, they were on their way home.
"H, however much they deserved it, that was far too brutal......"
While walking along the high traffic road bustling with people and carts, Steph blurted out.
"I mean, did you really have to go as far as taking their families!?"
"They're the ones who went and wagered that of their own accord. What do you have to say about someone who's willing to bet their own wife and kids?"
Walking behind her, holding firmly onto s. h. i. +ro's hand, Sora replied.
"More importantly, there're far too many people here...... S-s. h. i. +ro, whatever happens, don't you let go, ok?"
"...... N-n, Nii...... as well......"
The two of them spoke as they s. h. i. +ftily looked around and kept their heads down.
For the two hikikomorishut-ins, having to walk down that bustling main street at noon was nothing short of purgatory.
"Wasn't it you, Sora, who said to walk back?"
"I, I had something to take care of, but...... for there to be this many people......"
For the month that they had been in this world, most of their time had been spent within the palace.
As the two of them looked around suspiciously and tightened their hold on one another, Steph heaved a sigh.
"So, what are you going to do?"
"D-do what? About what?"
"All the things that you received from those three."
"Eh, ahh, nothing much."
Somehow pulling himself together, Sora replied.
"The families can do as they please. If they're willing to forgive those idiots who wagered them and go back to them, then they're free to do so. As for their a. s. sets and the like, I'll leave all of that to you and the ministers."
Their goal had been the elimination of the n. o. bles opposing their agricultural reforms.
Stripping them naked had merely been the means of removing their power.
Sora was happy to let the state take hold of the actualfortune.
"Um, Sora...... it's my fault that I wasn't able to stop the demonstration this time, and I'm sorry you two had to be bothered by it in the end, but I can't help thinking... this method is going to leave grudges."
With the knowledge they had brought from their world, Sora and s. h. i. +ro sought to rapidly revive the nation.
Having been in this world for only a month, the two of them also had the potential to blunder due to their unfamiliarity with the culture.
To avoid such happenings, they merely dictated policy and left the actual running of things to the ministers.
Their go between was Steph, who had been educated as a member of the royalfamily.
--Was how things went.
They avoided the troubles that inherently came with government.
One month ago, this conversation had taken place--
"We'd just stipulate policies and guidelines. The actual implementation would be left to you, Steph, and the ministers. That being said, if anyone had a problem with what we're doing, bring them to us. We'llstrip them and toss them out naked-- isn't that what we'd agreed on?"
"That's why! That way of doing things is far too thuggis. h. !. +"
"Don't worry. Controlling through fear is far too much trouble, but it's fine doing it once or twice."
Although to be honest at this rate, things would end up becoming another
Great Purge.
"Actually considering that we've been on the throne for a whole month, it's surprising that this is the first time we've had to do this."
Such large scale agricultural and industrialreforms would naturally bring about conflicts of interest.
n. o. bles would revolt and guilds would conspire. Those sorts of annoying events you'd see in simulation games.
However, they had left things to Steph and the ministers precisely in order to avoid tripping such troublesome flags.
That there were so few rebellions after the first month was no small wonder--
"Well...... we've managed to keep things suppressed up to now."
"...... Suppressed?"
"Many n. o. bles were initially opposed to the agriculturalreforms that Sora had presented. Fortunately House Auruo and House Bild are closely allied with
House Dora, so with their help we were able to manage things behind the scenes."
"............ Eh? Ah, right."
"With data obtained from large-scale experiments in royal territories, we were able to convince many of our major n. o. bles. With that the more minor n. o. bles were slowly swayed over as well, but...... there were some who simply wouldn't budge. Those three today were the big shots amongst them, so it shouldn't happen again. Still, you should take care not to-- what is it?"
Interrupting Steph who was speaking so eloquently, Sora placed a hand on her forehead.
"...... Hm, it doesn't seem like you have a fever. What the- Steph, you just said something really smart!"
For some reason, Sora seemed terribly shocked.
"Is something wrong!? I, I'm sorry for not noticing earlier, I'll take you to a doctor immediately--"
"...... Um, aren't you being just a bit far too impolite?"
Seeing Steph's shoulders trembling, Sora cried out.
"No, I mean-- it's you we're talking about, Steph!!"
"Yes it is, what of it!?"
Sora closed his eyes and shook his head.
"No, wait, wait, give me a sec, it can't be......"
He resembled a hardcore physicist who was seeing a real ghost right before his eyes.
Thinking, "This absolutely cannot be."
He swallowed painfully.
He spoke the incredibly hard to accept truth.
"I can't believe it, but...... could it be.... . Steph, you aren't actually an idiot!?"
Still harboring doubts, Sora cried out the inescapable reality.
"Y-you...... I graduated top of the cla. s. s from the most prestigious academy in the country you know!?"
"But I mean-- just look at yourself!"
Stephanie Dora.
The only granddaughter of the late king of Elchea, a very dignified lady was now.
Wearing a collar, along with dog ears and a tail.
A leash attached to the collar trailed in s. h. i. +ro's hand as they walked.
Along the heart of the city, down the main street.
"If you had half a brain there'd be no way you'd let something like this happen!!"
"The person who did this to me has no business saying any such thing!!!"
Indeed, this morning Steph had predictably lost in Blackjack to Sora.
"Then, for today, you'll be a dog."
And that had been the super appropriate price she had paid.
And just as predictably, as they walked down the centralstreet of Elchea in such a manner.
Every pa. s. serby was staring at them.
It should be noted that in the mansion earlier, Steph had been in this get-up the entire time.
"C-couldn't you have come up with anything better!?"
At Steph's cry as her anger returned far too late, Sora and s. h. i. +ro thought.
--There hadn't been much change from before.
"...... Steph, shake......"
s. h. i. +ro held out her hand.
With a flop, Steph placed her front paw--er, right hand on s. h. i. +ro's hand.
"U, uuu...... why can't I resist at alllll!"
"You were explaining things so diligently just a while ago, right? That's the rule of this world."
--Of the [Ten Oaths], number 【6】: "As per the Oath", the wager will be unconditionally adhered to.
"...... Steph, down......"
As Steph proceeded to lie face down on the street, she lamented aloud.
"Uuuuuuuu! Why couldn't I win!"
At that, Sora breathed a sigh of relief.
"Ah, so you really didn't know...... thank goodness, it's the usual Steph."
"Thinking that you just used "Steph" as an insult was my imagination, right!?
My imagination, right!?"
Ignoring Steph's protests, Sora took out his mobile phone.
In any case, her hard work that was beyond their expectations was indeed quite unexpected.
Taking the ministers' reports, they had drawn up an app graph of the country's data.
It appeared that the instructed reforms had managed to proceed without too much trouble.
Although the size of the dairy areas they had managed to secure was somewhat disappointing, if it worked the population's transition should balance things out.
At the same time, they had been able to ease the employment problem somewhat-- he put down a note to check that into the task scheduler.
He proceeded to check off items such as'agriculturalreform', 'industrial reform', and'financialreform'.
"...... Still, in the long term, this is only a stop-gap......"
However much they fully tried to use the knowledge they had brought with them, fundamentally their available resources and national land size had not changed.
Not to mention it would take at least half a year before the results of the agriculturalreforms bore fruit.
Even if they wanted to go as far as attempting to introduce future tech, the country simply didn't have the necessary raw materials.
"I guess our only choice is--'reclaiming the land'."
In other words.
The time had finally come to mobilize and win back their borders.
The question was-- where should they begin......
"............"
Lost in thought, Sora fellsilent. s. h. i. +ro, perhaps thinking the same thoughts, was also quiet.
Walking before them, attached to the collar, Steph naturally also quietened down.
But. Before long, she couldn't stand the stares anymore.
"S, Sora. Everyone's staring really hurts, so let's at least talk."
At Steph's protest, Sora noticed something strange.
".... . Nn? Don't you think there's something off about the way everyone's looking?"
"Seeing someone in a get-up like this, isn't that obvious!?"
"No, not that...... somehow, don't you think they look frightened?"
Sora noticed a subtle incongruity in the stares being sent at Steph.
They were not the amused eyes of people looking on at some funny cosplay--
In fact, rather, they stared at Sora's group as ifseeing something they'd never imagined.
"Since the king of Elchea is taking around'someone who resembles a werebeast', it's only natural."
...... Huh?
"Wait, what did you say just now?"
"For the king of Elchea to do something like this, anyone would--"
"No! Not that part!"
"Wait, Steph with those ears and a tailresembles-- a'werebeast'...... was it?"
Sora's brain instantaneously began recalling all the information he possessed thus far.
--The 14th race of the Exceed:'Werebeasts'.
With the largest territory, they were the third greatest superpower in the world, the'Eastern Union'.
Although information was sketchy, they had superb physical capabilities and senses.
It was rumored that they even had a sort of [sixth sense], an intuition even able to read the heart.
"--Steph, I'd like an answer as fast as possible."
"Hah? W-what is it?"
"These werebeasts-- do they have girls like Steph now, with ears and a tail?"
"...... I don't know why you're limiting it to girls, but--"
They do--is what Steph was about to say.
"Almost all werebeast girls have such bodies, you know?"
"...... So what you're saying is, this country, the'Eastern Union'--"
Confirming, Sora swallowed hard.
"Is filled with girls who look almost exactly like humans, who have animal ears and a tail and fuzzy paws... such an Eden of the ultimate pretty animals exists in this world-- is that what you're saying?"
You're saying the place named the'Eastern Union'-- is such an Arcadia
[4]?
"Alright that's it that Paradise is mine we're going to conquer all those kemonomimi
[5]
! Immediately!
Now!"
Drawing his phone as if unsheathing a sword, Sora opened the task scheduler!
Seeing him enter'Conquer kemonomimi kingdom- To do: Now', Steph burst out.
"Hey, w-what are you on to! Our own country isn't even stable yet!"
At that'mad king' who was suddenly raring to pick a fight with the world's third greatest power.
But Sora would not be swayed.
"Silence! I will obtain both the land and the kemonomimis! It serves both my own and the national interests, so well, who are you to try and block this perfect plan!"
Then looking around as ifsearching for something, Sora yelled out.
"Which way to the Eastern Union!? Call a carriage right now!!"
However, as Sora began to run off alone.
His sister, holding his hand, muttered one word.
"............ 'Information'......"
"Uu--guuu...... !"
His self-proclaimed'perfect plan' collapsed with depressing ease.
--Yes. They had already thought about all this before.
And after they had been crowned, in the month since that day when they declared war on the world.
Being reminded of why they had yet to launch an attack up to today, Sora fell silent.
"G, gngnnn...... certainly, if we don't clear this problem, we can't make a move......"
As both Sora and s. h. i. +ro retreated back to their own thoughts, silence fell again.
However, after that outburst it was troubling.
The silence was hard on Steph again.
"Uh- uhm, Sora, could you tell me why I lost in the Blackjack game this morning--"
Unable to take it anymore, Steph brought up a topic.
...... But there was no reply.
Steph looked back. However.
"........................ eh?"
The leash that s. h. i. +ro should have been carrying was dragging along the ground.
The two who should have been right behind her were nowhere to be found.
"Eh? Huh, they...... left?"
Standing alone amidst quietly heard laughter, a cold wind blew.
Part 3
"...... De... licious......"
They had just come out from a library situated in one of the labyrinthine alleys branching off from Elchea's central avenue.
Then they had visited a café, and now Sora and s. h. i. +ro's hands were full with books, donuts and tea.
"Despite our plans to deal with the food shortage...... it seems the stockpiles really are doing badly."
From the central avenue they had entered an open plaza, where they had brought the donuts and tea.
The plaza didn't have the vibrance one would expect, however.
Nor was there any mistaking the shopkeepers' expressions.
With just a look, they told plenty about Elchea's current situation.
a. n. a. lyzing the situation, in Sora and s. h. i. +ro's original world, rioting and looting would have broken out by now.
"How was it over there, s. h. i. +ro?"
"...... Nn. It seems...... there really... was no harvest......"
"As we thought. Jeez, what the h. e. l. l's going on. What's with this country?"
"--What's.... . strange....... is—"
"The nerve of you guuuuuuuuuyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyssssssssssssssss!!!!!!"
Panting, shoulders heaving, Steph (still dressed like a dog) screamed out.
"Ah, Steph. Where'd you go. We were looking for you, y'know?"
"'Ah' my a. s. s!!'Ah'!? Don't tell me you forgot!? Are you telling me that leaving me in the middle of the city while wearing a collar and dressed like a dog wasn't hara. s. sment or even teasing, you'just forgot'!?"
Steph cried with teary eyes.
As if offering a supplicating prayer she clutched at Sora's feet.
"Please! Grant me this single wis. h. !. + Let me hit you a good one just this once!!
I won't ask for anything else ever again!!"
"W, well...... s. h. i. +ro smelled something good and was pretty out of it for a while. There was no way I could let go, and I was sure she would be holding on to the leash, then before I knew it, you were gone......"
"...... Steph.... . sorry.......... . Sit."
As s. h. i. +ro gave a thumbs up and spoke with her mouth stuffed full of donut,
Sora continued.
"So, well, s. h. i. +ro had no ill intentions either, so please forgive us."
"Saying 'please forgive us', then ordering me to sit really kills the sincerity you know!?"
While 'sitting' like a dog, Steph pointed at Sora and declared.
"First tell me why I lost!! If you don't, I won't be convinced!!"
"Hm...... so rather than requesting to be released, you want an explanation?"
"--...... Huh?"
"...... Steph...... you actually...... like it?"
"T-there's-- no way in h. e. l. l!! Are you making fun of me!?"
But there wasn't a chance either Sora or s. h. i. +ro would miss that moment's hesitation.
"Whoaa, I thought something like that only happened in eroge......"
Considering this came from the one who had forced her into it, there wasn't much left to be said.
Steph, today, was in top form.
She had never once cursed the G. o. d who had forbidden all violence.
Yet being pressured by that intense glare, Sora relented.
"Alright, alright, I'll tell you...... 'card counting'."
He never ceased eating, however.
"Card...... eh, what?"
"Card counting. Simply put, it's a. s. signing a number to cards. For example 2-
6 is 1, 10 or higher is -1, and 7-9 are 0."
"...... ? What do you gain by that?"
Seeing all of that had completely flown over her head, Sora stated bluntly.
"You can'predict the next card'."
"—-Huh?"
As Steph suspiciously pondered whether that was magic, Sora leisurely elaborated.
"By keeping track of the cards which have been dealt, one can antic. i. p. ate the cards which are left, and it's possible to'mathematically predict the probability of which cards will come next'. If you can reliably do that, you won't lose, right?"
"Ha, haah~......"
It appeared the idea of using 'math' in games was something new for Steph.
She seemed to have forgotten both her loss and her being forced to 'sit' at the moment, being simply lost in awe.
As if wanting to write everything down, she took out a notepad.
In the midst of doing so however, she noticed something.
"W, wait a moment!! Isn't that just cheating!?"
Sora refuted her point with a coolface.
"If playing smart is cheating, then does that make something like predicting your opponent's next move in chess cheating as well?"
"T-that's......"
--In Sora's previous world, card counting was indeed considered a form of cheating, but he decided not to mention that.
"Speaking of cheating, your [deliberate shuffle tracking] would be a far more appropriate case."
eh.
"Y-you noticed!?"
Sora's wry face seemed to ask ifshe really thought he hadn't.
"It's something s. h. i. +ro's already caught me doing countless times. Well, thanks to that it was easy for me to count as well."
Sora, who had at heart truly wished to lose, spoke with a sigh.
Naturally transitioning from 'sit' to 'lie down', Steph flopped onto the ground.
Not only had her cheating been uncovered, it had been taken advantage of as well.
According to the [Ten Oaths], simply being caught should have already resulted in her loss.
Yet for her [cheating having been used to actively beat her] caused Steph, while lying down, to wet the ground with her tears.
However, something suddenly flashed through her mind.
--Ifso, what if they played a game which "truly was reliant on pure luck"?
Wouldn't she have a chance of winning then?
"...... Fufufu...... Sora! We're having another game!!"
Still lying on the ground, Steph looked up and shouted defiantly.
It was a... well— extremely sorrowfulsight.
"You...... right after what happened this morning? What are you betting for?"
It would have to be something sufficient to make Sora accept in spite of himself.
"The same as this morning, 'Make Sora a riajuu'."
"Alright let's do it (immediate answer)."
What Steph offered caused all of his compa. s. sion to scatter to the winds.
"...... Nii, game.... details.... ."
"s. h. i. +ro!! Do you think there's even a million to one chance your Onii-chan would lose to Steph!?"
"...... I will make it, one in a billion...... no, a...... trillion....... ."
If the siblings were together, whoever the opponent was, they could see through everything.
"...... s. h. i. +ro, will, play also...... as...... 『 』."
--That meant Steph wouldn't be playing against a half.
If Steph carried out her challenge, it would be against the full might of
"Imanity's strongest gamer."
Not a problem, she thought.
Ability is meaningless in a game of pure chance.
Victory would always be 50/50!
"...... If Steph, loses...... you'll have to...... listen to...... one order, of mine."
Steph probably—didn't see.
The true face of Imanity's strongest gamers.
Although seemingly expressionless, the clear fire which burned deep within their eyes.
"Fufu, I don't mind. Then let's do this, the game will be—!!"
With a flourish, Steph pointed to the corner of the road.
"A guessing game on— whether the next person to step past will be a man or a woman!"
Hearing the game, s. h. i. +ro thought for a moment then answered.
"...... The game....... will be, best...... out of...... ten. 【Acciente】."
"As you wis. h. !. + 【Acciente】!"
Steph was enthusiastic, but Sora.
Heaving a sigh, he looked at Steph with distant eyes.
"W-why——why why whyyyyyyyyyyy!?"
The result was...... 9-1.
Needless to say, it was a crus. h. i. +ng defeat for Steph.
"T-this is wrong! Winning 90% in a game of chance, what did you do!?"
Sora, who had never doubted their win, explained with genuine regret.
"—Did you think that everyone was just aimlessly walking past that corner?"
"...... Eh?"
"I've been watching the interval of people pa. s. sing through while we were having tea this whole time. By taking that trend and factoring it in with the male-female ratio s. h. i. +ro calculated factoring population density, employment rate and work content, it's possible to determine the male-female ratio of people purposefully pa. s. sing through here."
"...... V.........."
s. h. i. +ro, who had memorized all of the appropriate data and made all the calculations off of them mentally, made a V sign.
Seeing that V, Steph finally felt something akin to hostility...... but more importantly—
"A-a-aren't you taking this way overboard!?"
Going to these absurd lengths just to guess the gender of people appearing from a corner, just how serious are these two!
——But for Sora and s. h. i. +ro, when it came to games, that was a foolish question.
If asked 'how far will you go'.
There could only be one answer——'[as far as it takes]'.
"...... And, so......"
s. h. i. +ro, victorious, announced her request as per the bet.
"Steph's...... underwear, confis...... cate......"
"——heh!?"
"W-what!?"
However, she had already agreed under the Oath.
"Hiii—w-wait, please, change the request!!"
Number six of the [Ten Oaths], "As per the Oath", the wager will be unconditionally adhered to.
An absolute agreement—there were none who could go against it.
Steph proceeded to remove her panties, protesting all the while.
Paying absolutely no heed, however, s. h. i. +ro took her panties. As a result,
Steph was now crouched down on allfours, nopan
[6] and face completely red.
The one panicking all over, however, was Sora.
"Hey, m-my little sister! Isn't this very dangerous in various ways!?"
"...... s. h. i. +ro is...... an 11...... year old child, so...... I wouldn't, know......"
Saying so, she proceeded to wear Steph's panties on her head.
Remaining expressionless, she put a finger to her lips and tilted her head.
"Wha—stop with the innocent child act, will you!? It's way too bright!!!"
Not to mention, the sight of that girl with panties on her head was drawing the attention of everyone pa. s. sing by.
As a result, Steph's panties were displayed for all the world to see......
How—how terrifying. What a terrifying child—s. h. i. +ro!!
However, Sora, feeling a sense of mercilessness from his younger sister, spoke.
"H, hey, for some reason, s. h. i. +ro, you seem particularly severe today? Are you in a bad mood?"
"...... Not, really...... ?"
His asking that question, however, seemed to have put her in one.
Looking bored, s. h. i. +ro responded with lidded eyes.
When Steph had risen against Sora, who had commanded her to 'fall in love'.
She had requested not for 'the command's cancellation', but for 'Sora to become a citizen'.
...... the reason behind that should have been obvious with a bit of thinking.
"...... Fuu......"
Still in a bad mood, that 11 year old girl went back to reading.
Yet it seemed she had been the only one who had had that on her mind.
--Meanwhile.
Still dressed as a dog, and now missing her underwear, was Steph.
"Fu, fufu...... this is nothing...... that day when I lost to Sora, I had already given up my chast. i. ty......"
Father, mother, grandfather......
Your Stephanie has been stained.
Fufu, ufufufufufu. As Steph laughed under her breath, she turned to face Sora.
"H, hey s. h. i. +ro, as I thought, this really feels bad--I mean, that look of hers is scary."
"...... she's, fine......"
She really didn't seem fine, but s. h. i. +ro a. s. serted so with panties stillfirmly on her head.
All of a sudden, Steph fell to the ground again while pressing down her skirt.
As she once again watered the ground with her crying, something flashed through her mind again.
Strange--there's absolutely no way a true game of pure chance doesn't exist in this world.
(That's right. In that last game...... Sora and s. h. i. +ro were off once as well!)
A prediction is, in the end, still just a prediction.
Precisely because of that unreliability, s. h. i. +ro had specified it was to be'best out of ten'.
Ifso----!
"S-s-Sora! A, a-another match, another!!"
Declining to stand up, probably due to her lack of panties, Steph said this in a fl. u. s. tered voice.
"I, I pa. s. s...... say, are you really allright?"
Already being forced to act like a dog, now with her underwear removed.
Pus. h. i. +ng the boundary any further than this would definitely turn things into something R18.
But Steph spoke strongly.
"I don't mind!! If temporary defeats like this are the price for bringing you two down, it's far too cheap!!"
A glimpse of how Elchea had been pushed this far to the brink could be seen.
"...... Is, is that so. Then with the same conditions, what's the game?"
"We'll guess how many seconds it takes for that bird over there to fly away, and the closest is the winner--and we'll[only play once]!!"
With another flourish, Steph pointed.
"Craw."
Perched on a house roof was a white rat--or maybe a pigeon.
(You, 『 』, who won't accept a defeat... when facing a single game of chance-- what will you do!)
In all likelihood, they simply wouldn't accept the challenge.
But even that's fine. If this will allow her to close the gap between them--!
Yet contrary to Steph's expectations, Sora nodded leisurely.
"Allright. Same wager as before. 【Acciente】-- yes, what?"
"Eh, um, 【Acciente】.... . th-then-- 30 seconds!"
Caught off guard by his ready acceptance, Steph hesitated momentarily.
--Still, she was certain that there was no way the bird would remain there for more than a minute.
Therefore, she simply hedged her bets and conservatively guessed the middle value.
Steph looked up expectantly.
However, as if he wasn't even listening, Sora spoke as he picked up a rock.
"Then--three seconds for me."
He then immediately made an overhead throw.
"...... huh!?"
The rock, thrown at fullforce, whizzed right past the pigeon.
With an explosive flap, the startled bird took off.
"...... Right...... it's Nii's... victory."
Without even looking up from her book, s. h. i. +ro spoke, panties stillfirmly on her head.
Steph raised her voice in fierce protest.
"W-w-wait just a moment!!! Isn't that cheating!?"
Sora was fully aware of his own actions, however.
"I don't believe any rule had been set which [disallowed provoking the bird into flight]?"
"Wha--"
"If you don't properly set the rules of the game, things like this will happen."
How, how childish—however much, aren't these siblings far too childis. h. !. +?
Sora, going back to his book and leaning into his chair, spoke seriously.
"—There is [no such thing as luck] in this world."
"...... eh?"
No... such thing?
At that far too sensible view, Steph frowned.
"Rules, premises, wager, physiologicalstate, ability, timing, condition...... all of these countless 'invisible parameters' have already decided victory or defeat before the game has even begun. There is nothing left to chance."
Chance.
It was nothing more than a word used for an unforeseen, unpredicted result.
"For example, let's see...... let's say a card was drawn out of a deck."
His eyes never leaving his book, Sora continued speaking fluently.
"What're the chances that the card is the 'Ace of Spades'?"
"...... Um, there are 52 cards in a deck, so it should be 1/52."
"That's how it would be normally. Now however, what if you were drawing from the bottom of a new pack?"
"...... huh?"
"The initial order of cards in a new pack is set. In other words, when you take a fresh pack without jokers, if you draw the card from the bottom of the deck you will be guaranteed an 'Ace of Spades'."
"Eh, b-but......"
Steph tried desperately to refute him.
"That's right, I hadn't told you it was a new pack—so you didn't know, did you?
However, as ifsaying that was the point, Sora kept going.
"That's exactly it. If you're aware, that '1. 92%' becomes '100%'. The one who doesn't know will blame bad luck, and the one who does know will walk away with the definite win."
He spoke with a sigh.
"Do you get it? There's always a way to win a game. That was why you lost to me in Blackjack. That's also the reason [Imanity has been losing until now]
—"
And then—
With a sullen face, Sora declared.
"—The reason why we're being 'checkmated'."
............ eh?
Checkmated?
"This past month, we've been going through countless books that cover the whole country, but there's hardly anything with information on the other races.
There's not an exploit to be found. Good grief, just what have you guys been doing......"
"Eh, uhm...... what, do you mean?"
"—Hm, did you think we were simply spending the past month in our room playing games?"
"Most obviously, of course, right?"
Steph a. s. serted without a doubt.
Well, whatever, Sora muttered as he proceeded.
"For example, let's say we challenged the nekomimi kingdom—er, the
Eastern Union."
Evidently he hadn't given up on that yet.
"However, about all that Imanity knows about them is that werebeasts have some sort ofsixth sense."
"Y, yes...... something like being able to read the heart, or the like......"
"If they can do that then bluffs willfallflat, and bargaining would also be impossible."
Ranked dead last at 16th of the 16 races of the 'Exceed', Imanity had no magic powers or special abilities whatsoever.
Meaning that in order to fight and win against the other races who could use
'paranormal abilities'—
"Without adequate 'intel' on the enemy, we can't even begin to consider a game."
Yet in spite of that—the information Imanity had on the other races was far too little.
Naturally, since if they were found out it'd be a disadvantage, the other races would be hiding their abilities.
For all that however, it was stillfar too little.
Their complaint against the books to be found in the libraries stemmed from that fact.
Nothing is known of the opponent's games, nor their abilities.
But the other side knew perfectly well just what Imanity was capable of— meaning.
The playing field of those 'invisible parameters' was completely uneven.
If they went ahead and fought without that vital information, it'd end in
'certain defeat'.
For the exact same reason Steph was always completely crushed by Sora— an undoubtable, definite loss.
"And so, we've been completely unable to find an opening to determine our angle of attack and just been sitting around the past month."
Closing his book, Sora said so.
"S-still."
Sora's cold words denounced the fruitless efforts of her grandfather.
Unable to let that go unchallenged, Steph painfully retorted.
"E, even so, if nothing is ever done we won't ever begin!"
But.
Sora's words held no emotion in particular.
"Hey...... if we screw up [even once], [everything's over]."
Yet his voice rang with a pressure equal to that which held Steph down on the ground.
"—This is how far gone we are. Don't forget."
--One moment.
It truly was for just one moment.
Yet in that moment Steph clearly saw, the 'frustration' which fluttered across
Sora's face.
Such behavior was rarely displayed, so the truth was easily looked past.
Yet it was a fact now that the fate of Imanity, a full three million people, were burdened upon the shoulders of these siblings.
The ones who had indirectly bested the Elves, without a doubt the greatest gamers Imanity had.
Those two had said--'checkmated'.
The meaning, the weight.
Only now did Steph begin to understand the pressure the two must feel.
--That by their own two hands, they could be the *end of millions of lives*.
Carrying such a heavy burden--realizing that, Steph could only draw in a breath.
Sora began fiddling with his task scheduler once more.
"--Even after all this we don't have a single'key' which would lead to a breakthrough. Sheesh, what to do"
Being so nonchalant though, they had some tremendous nerve.
Steph felt a chill--
...... When.
A shadow fell, and turned the surrounding day to night
"...... What? Why's it suddenly...... dar--"
Sora glanced around.
Even s. h. i. +ro opened her lidded eyes, and took the donut from her mouth.
Looking up, the clear blue sky was no more.
Instead, as if gouged straight from the earth--a huge rock was floating there.
"Wha, what the h. e. l. l is that...... ?"
Wow, so Laputa really exists.
Such thoughts flitted across Sora's mind.
No matter how you looked at it, it was ripped straight from a certain anime.
A giant island, floating in the sky.
--Come to think of it.
The moment they had come to this world, as they fell through the sky, they had seen plenty ofsuch drifting islands.
...... So in this world, they're actually a familiar sight.
Only Sora and s. h. i. +ro had been surprised; everyone else was just disinterestedly walking down the road.
"...... This world really is something else...... this pace is also a'bit much'."
As the two of them continued staring up in a daze, Steph finally noticed.
"Ah, this is your first time seeing it isn't it."
She then followed their gaze.
"That, is'Avant Heim'--one of the Phantasma species."
Now that she mentioned it, if one looked closely.
What had looked like just a bare rock, actually had fins sticking out of it.
It looked--almost like a giant whale, and yet not quite.
A question sprang to mind.
"--Those in this world who are allowed to infringe on things like the *right to sunlight* and *right to airs. p. a. ce*--those'Phantasma'?"
"Yes. One of the'second ranked' of the."
The Exceed.
Prescribing to the'Ten Oaths' G. o. d had set down, the 16 intelligent species.
Pointing towards the sky, or rather the (for now) Laputa, Sora yelled.
"Is that really an *intelligent lifeform*!? How the heck does it play games, h. e. l. l how does it even communicate in the first place!? If Pa** had said not only
'Laputa exists' but'Laputa talks', even his old man would have looked at him with pitiful eyes!!"
"...... I don't get half of what you just said, but well, it's useless."
Steph spoke flatly.
"Imanity can't even win against the'Flügel' who live on it."
"Flügel--A, Aah, 'Avant Heim'...... So that's it?"
Exceed
16 Races
Laputa continued on past the street.
As Sora watched the Phantasma'Avant Heim' drift away.
It had disappeared from his mind due to the surprise, but.
Something written in the books he had been reading before sprang up.
--Ranked 6th of the'Exceed'--'Flügel'.
In the former Great war they had been created by the G. o. ds to kill G. o. ds, the vanguard. They were born for battle.
After the'Ten Oaths', their combat capability had ostensibly been sealed.
Despite a lifespan bordering on eternal, and their high magic affinity, their only territory remained a soaring sky city.
Because of that they did not partic. i. p. ate in the border betting'country gambling' but due to their thirst for knowledge in order to collect information from tribes all over the world, meaning books, they often played games on a personal individualscale.
For Imanity, whose betting pool was now limited.
They were one of those who could be led out by the bait of Sora and s. h. i. +ro's
'knowledge from another world'.
They had been the race Sora had kept an eye out on foremost since coming to this world.
However.
"...... Getting those Flügel on our side would be great and all, but we don't have any way to contact them huh."
More sought after even than--the kemonomimis.
Information with which they could take on all the other races--the'Bounty of the Flügel' was beyond priceless.
Imanity in this world however possessed no flight technology.
There were no means by which to contact'Avant Heim'.
And with allsaid, publicly announcing the'knowledge of another world' Sora and s. h. i. +ro possessed was also no good.
It was still too early to reveal that trump card Elchea--that Sora and co possessed.
Hearing Sora's troubled mutters, 'Eh?' went Steph.
"If you have business with the Flügel, there's one nearby, you know?"
............ ------
"--What, was that?"
"Rather, I guess...... it's better to say there's one staying here?"
No, wait, wait, wait, Sora cried.
"In all the libraries of the country, I never once read something about that!?"
"Well, the Flügel had already lifted any such noticeable books from Elchea after all."
--Faintly, Sora recalled a sense of vertigo.
However his lidded-eyed sister must be feeling the same thing.
Barely able to stand, he urged her on.
".... . T, tell us more."
"Um...... Five years ago, one of the Flügel came to the nation's largest library, the'Great National Library of Elchea', and ended up winning all the books in there...... was what happened."
I seee~~♪
So that's why Elchea has barely any information at all, I guess~~♥
"You idiots [bet knowledge and practically put it on a silver platter], are your heads screwed on right!? Rather, [who's was it to bet] in the first place!?"
If they had no knowledge--no'information', they could not hope to overcome the other countries.
Betting like that would be similar to throwing away your sword and s. h. i. +eld before a fight.
To say the least, 'pure stupidity'.
Even pa. s. sersby stopped in surprise, as the target of that outburst, Steph, attempted a fl. u. s. tered response.
"T-th, the one who gambled was my grandfather, he thought it'd be a g, good idea......"
But Sora would not be stopped.
"What had been the'bet'!?"
"Uh, umumumum, i-if he won, 'that Flügel would become our ally' or so I heard!"
--So he had been trying to obtain a friend with more knowledge than Imanity.
To Sora, those were actually not bad conditions.
Yes, not bad at all. What was bad was--
"So he went ahead and lost, depriving us of basically all our knowledge!!!!!?????"
Tearing at his head, Sora shrieked at Steph.
"Did he not at least consider the consequences if he lost!? Make copies of the ma. n. u. scripts or anything!?"
"...... T, that's, um...... due to the budget......"
"Budget!? What the h. e. l. l did the budget have to do with this!!"
Panties stillfirmly on her head, s. h. i. +ro whispered to her unknowing brother.
"...... Nii...... Elchea...... paper, tech...... and, literacy...... rate."
"Eh, ah, r-right."
As someone who lives in modern j. a. pan, this may sound unbelievable but.
The literacy rate back in 15th century Europe was--barely 10%.
They knew from the data that Elchea was similar in that respect.
Added to that without the technology to ma. s. s produce paper, making ma. n. u. scripts would have been a ma. s. sive budgetary constraint--
"...... Steph, after we've translated some memos into your language, please give them the highest priority."
Heaving a heavy sigh, Sora stood up.
"Ah, of course...... what memos?"
"Blueprints for'paper ma. s. s production' and the'printing press'......"
At that however s. h. i. +ro, with lidded eyes and panties firmly on head, doled out blame.
"...... Nii...... cheating, again."
"Sorry s. h. i. +ro, but not having this would be [more strange]."
Entering another task into his mobile, Sora sighed again.
So Steph, who had a personal library collection.
Was actually really well educated for these times...... but.
In this world where everything was decided by games.
"How in the world do you play games if you *can't even read or write*. Is humanity even trying?"
"Knowing six or 18 languages like you guys is far more weird!"
"Don't be stupid! If we're going to face off against foreign powers, knowing six languages should be the [bare minimum]!"
Finis. h. i. +ng all that in one breath, Sora was left panting.
"--N, never, mind. Steph."
"Y-yes?"
"According to our references, the [Flügel traditionally, only play, one game]."
Regarding the Flügel--the information about the game was missing.
Therefore Sora had only really been looking for a confirmation, and Steph nodded.
"Then, the next task, is clear."
He slid his finger across the scheduler--then entered.
"If we make good speed, by leaving now we can be back by evening. Steph, call a carriage."
"Eh, alright?"
As he spoke, Sora once again checked the new task entered into the phone.
--'Retrieve Imanity's knowledge'.
".... . Well, guess I may as well add this too."
Sora's fingers danced again.
"Uh, 'obtain one Flügel'...... should do it."
Just earlier.
The race Steph had declared it was'impossible to win against'.
Ranked 6th--the G. o. d killers.
He was quite comfortable about it too.
As Steph stared stunned at Sora's back, who had declared'it could be done'.
Sora, taking s. h. i. +ro's hand, walked forth
| ← Ch. 07 | Ch. 09 → |